A group of electric vehicle charger manufacturers and operators are fighting Texas’ plan to force Tesla technology into charging stations, calling it “premature,” according to Reuters and a person familiar with the matter.
Reuters reported last week that Texas will require charging companies to adopt both Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) and the nationally recognized competitor Combined Charging Standard (CCS) technology to be eligible to participate in a state program to use federal funds to electrify highways.
Washington is following suit, with standards group SAE International saying it aims to have an industry-standard configuration of Tesla charging connectors in six months or less, adding fuel to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s hopes of making NACS a national charging technology.
But five electric vehicle charging companies, including operator ChargePoint Holdings and manufacturer ABB, and a clean energy association have written to the Texas Transportation Commission calling for more time to redesign and test Tesla’s connectors.
They said in a letter sent to committee chairs on Thursday and seen by Reuters that Texas’ plan “is at risk for the successful deployment of the first phase of federal funds.”
“It will take time to properly standardize, test and certify the safety and interoperability of Tesla connectors across the industry,” they said.
Sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters that some of the groups planned to contact the federal government soon about the issue.
The Texas Department of Transportation, ChargePoint, ABB and other signatories FreeWire, EVBox and FLO did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Another signatory is Americans for Affordable Clean Energy, an association of truck stops and convenience stores, but could not immediately be reached.
Major U.S. electric carmaker Tesla has scored a series of wins over charging technology in recent weeks, starting with Ford Motor Co. saying it will adopt NACS. General Motors, Rivian Automotive and numerous car and charging companies have done the same, fearing they will lose customers if they only offer CCS.
Tesla’s Superchargers account for about 60% of the total number of fast chargers in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, and the deals will allow non-Tesla users to use the company’s large charging network.
But people still worry about whether the dialogue between the two charging standards will be smooth, and whether the simultaneous adoption of both standards in the market will increase costs for suppliers and customers.
The charging companies said in the letter that multiple aspects of the NACS connector must be redesigned, including extending the cable length and ensuring adequate temperature range, as well as obtaining certification for specific parts.
The two companies also emphasized the need for a strong, compliant NACS cable and connector supply chain.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
